As expected, after the release of Apple iOS 15.3 released the first beta version for iOS 15.4 (and the accompanying operating systems such as iPadOS, watchOS and tvOS). For the time being, only developers registered with Apple have access to the pre-release, the public beta will follow either today or early next week. After the last round, which mainly brought security updates and bug fixes, there are now some new functions on board again. Or a well-known one that Apple presented in June last year but had not yet implemented.

The iPadOS 15.4 beta finally brings Universal Control, which was originally supposed to be released last fall but was pushed back to spring 2022. The feature for dragging and dropping files between iPad and Mac (or different Macs) and wireless keyboard and mouse sharing can be found under the Airplay & Handoff tab in General Preferences. There you will find a new option “Cursors and Keyboard (Beta)”.

Better late than never, right? With iOS 14.5 it was possible to unlock the iPhone with the Apple Watch though, if the user wore a mask and Face ID could not work as a result. Until now, users without an Apple Watch had to hope for an iPhone with Touch ID.

In Face ID & Passcode settings, you’ll find a new Face ID with mask toggle. When enabled, Face ID will “use the unique features around the eye area for authentication” instead of performing full facial recognition. There’s also a new “Add Glasses” setting to help the system properly recognize your facial features. Apple notes that Face ID is more accurate when settings are turned off. Apparently unlocking via Face ID in the mask only works on the newer iPhones, 9to5Mac points this outthat devices are only supported from the iPhone 12. Once we have a beta, we will try the new feature.

The Unicode consortium has approved a new series of emojis in version 14, Apple now adopts the consortium’s recommendations and introduces a dozen new pictograms. These include the melting face, greeting face, lip biting face, glass, beans, x-ray, bubbles and more. ( Wheat beer, white sausages and white wine are still missing from Unicode. Note d. editor)

This release allows developers to support the Play Station 5 DualSense Controller’s adaptive triggering feature.

You can add notes to a keychain password entry. You can see your keychain entries in Settings > Passwords.

There’s a new Apple Card widget that can be added to the Home screen or Today View. It shows your current balance and spending activities. Apple has not yet brought its Apple Card to Germany.

The Health app now supports the EU format for COVID digital certificates, allowing you to add your vaccination card in the Health and Wallet apps in supported regions. The vaccination certificate also finds its way onto the Apple Watch.

If you’re interested in trying out iOS 15.4 (or iPadOS 15.4), you should do so on a device that isn’t your everyday iPhone or iPad.

Registered developers can developer.apple.com/download go and use the device they want to test the beta on. From there you can download a developer beta profile. Go to Settings > General > VPN & device management to enable the beta profile. Your iPhone or iPad will then restart and you can go to Settings > General > Software Update to download the latest version.

To participate in the public beta test (which usually happens a few hours to a day after the developers), go to the device you want to run the beta on beta.apple.com. From there you can download a developer beta profile. Go to Settings > General > VPN & device management to enable the beta profile. Your iPhone or iPad will then restart and you can go to Settings > General > Software Update to download the latest version.

If Apple follows last year’s pattern, we can draw some conclusions about the iOS 15.4 release date. The current beta is roughly the same as iOS 14.5 from 2021, as the first beta of it was released on February 1, 2021. If Apple this year an update round of eight beta versions plans, the final version of iOS 15.4 can only be expected at the end of April.

iOS 14.5 Beta 1 – February 1, 2021
iOS 14.5 beta 1 second release – February 4, 2021
iOS 14.5 Beta 2 – February 16, 2021
iOS 14.5 Beta 3 – March 3, 2021
iOS 14.5 Beta 4 – March 15, 2021
iOS 14.5 Beta 5 – March 23, 2021
iOS 14.5 Beta 6 – March 31, 2021
iOS 14.5 Beta 7 – 7. April 2021
iOS 14.5 Beta 8 – 13. April 2021
Apple Keynote “Spring loaded” – 20. April 2021
iOS 14.5 final – 26. April 2021

(Macwelt)